Window regulator mechanism



DeC- 1, 1964 w. POLLAK wINnow REGULATOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1963 4m WW; 7 .7. mm V, MW W Dec. -1, 1964 w. PoLLAK 3,159,392

wINoow REGULATOR MEcHANIsM ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,59,392 WENDQW REGULATQR MECHANISh/ Walter Iollah, Detroit, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation et Belaware Filed lan. ll, 1%3, Ser. No. 256,9l7 7 Claims. (t'lla 268-126) This invention relates to window regulator mechanisms and more particularly to operating means for vehicle window regulator mechanisms.

The operating means of this invention is of the type which is operable from the exterior of the body for moving a vehicle window between open and closed positions and is particularly adaptable for use with station wagon tailgate windows. It is desirable that the operating means may be selectively and alternately placed in either locked or unlocked conditions to either allow the operator to operate the mechanism from the exterior of the body or to prevent unauthorized operation of the mechanism and entry into the body.

One of the features of this invention is that it provides an improved operating means for a vehicle window regulator mechanism. Another feature of this invention is that it provides an improved operating means for a vehicle window regulator mechanism which may be selectively and alternately placed in either locked or unllocked conditions. A further feature of this invention is that it provides .an improved operating means for a vehicle window regulator mechanism which includes an exterior operator and means for selectively coupling and uncoupling the operator and the window regulator mechanism. Yet, another feature of this invention is that it provides 4an improved operating means for a vehicle window regulator mechanism which includes an exterior operator for driving a drive gear, a driven gear slidably and nonrotatably coupled to a window regulator mechanism, and key cylinder controlled means for moving the driven gear into and out of meshing engagement with the drive gear to selectively couple and uncouple the operator and the window regulator mechanism.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a station wagon body havin-g a tailgate window mounted thereon for movement `between open and closed positions and including an operating means for the tailgate window regulator mechanism according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 2 2 of FIG- URE l and showing the operating means in unlocked condition;

FIGURE 3 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 showing the operating means in locked condition;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged partially broken away view of a portion or' FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a station wagon type vehicle body l0 includes a rear opening I2, the lower half of which is opened and closed by a tailgate 14 swingably mounted on the body l@ by suitable hinge means adjacent its lower edge lo. The tailgate 14 mounts a vertically movable tailgate window 18 for opening and closing the upper portion of the opening l2. The window IS is mounted on the tai-l- ICC gate for movement relative thereto by a known type of window regulator mechanism which generally includes a pair of oppositely swingable sector arms 20 pivoted at 22 on the back plate and mounting rollers at their free swinging ends which are pivotally and slidably received within cam channels secured to the lower edge portion of the window I8. rllhe sector arms 20 are driven by a pinion 24, FIGURE 2, lwhich is secured to the output member or drive key 26 or' a known type of window regulator clutch mechanism- 23. For `details of a suitable clutch mechanism, reference may be had to the copending application of Meyer et al., Serial No. 43,407, fled July 18, 1960, now Patent No. 3,110,380 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. Clutch mechanism 2S is secured to the back plate 30 of the window regulator mechanism which is Secured to the inner panel, not shown, of the tailgate 14 and also mounts the sector arms 2i) of the mechanism.

As best shown in FIGURE 5, an escutcheon 34 fits within an opening 36 in the outer panel 32 of tailgate I4. and is secured in place by bolts 33 which extend through openings in the back plate 30 and into tapped openings in lugs provided in the escutcheon. A handle mounting escutcheon 4d includes a hollow hub portion 42 journaled within an opening 44 of escutcheon 34, with escutcheon 4t) being rotatably located by a split ring 46 fitting within an annular groove in the hub portion 42. A pair of legs 48 extend from hub portion 42; and are received within openings 5@ in a generally cup-shaped drive gear 52, pivoted at 54 to t-he back plate 3i?, to thereby couple theV escutcheon 4i? and the drive gear 52. An operating handle S6 is pivoted fat 58 -to escutcheon 4d and is movable between a stored position, as shown in FIGURE 5, wherein the handle is received within the opening of escutcheon 4d and the knob 6@ of the handle is received within a recess 62 of escutcheon 3d, and an open position, as indicated in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 2, wherein the handle 56 extends from the escutcheon 4l?. The escutcheon'B-d includes another recess 64 located generally diametrically opposite from the recess 62 to also receive the knob oil, with the knob being selectively and alternately retained in either of the recesses by engagement with the bowed legs of a leaf spring member 66 having its central annular apertured portion d8 journaled on the hub portion 42 The hub or input member 70 of clutch mechanism 28 includes a central splined bore 72 which slidably and nonrotatably receives a splined extension 74 of a generally cup-shaped driven gear 76 to couple the driven gear and the clutch mechanism. A pilot 73 of extension 74 is slidably and rotatably received within a bore of pinion 24 ,to support the rpinion and drive key on the clutch mechanism. Gear 76 is movable between a first position, as shown in FIGURE 2, wherein it couples the clutch mechanism 2S and drive gear S2 and a second position, as shown in FIGURE 3, wherein it is out of meshingrengagement with the drive gear to uncouple the drive gear and the clutch mechanism 28. As best shown in FIGURE 4, a ring member 80 is slidably received on the gear 76 and retained in place thereon by a split ring 82 received within an annular 4groove in the gear. Ring member 8d includes a pair of laterally extending ears or lugs 34 which are received within outward-ly opening slots S6 in the legs 88 of a lever or ioke member 9i?. Member 9i? is swngably mounted on the back plate 39 by having lthe legs 8% thereof pivoted at 92 to lateral ears 94 which are lanced out of `'che back plate to provide an opening 96 therein. The legs 38 are interconnected by a web 53 which includes an elongated closed slot 1% receiving a pin Vi162 of a key cylinder assembly 104 mounted on the outer panel 32. A spring wire member 166 is hooked over the legs 8S and includes a p-air of upwardly extending 1legs which engage the lugs 84 lof ring 8l) to retain these lugs .within the slots 86 of legs 83 and to also bias the driven gear 76 inwardly of the tailgate or to the left, as viewed in FIG- URES 2 and 3, and into meshing engagement with the drive gear 52.

v Normally, the driven gear 76 is located in engagement with the drive gear 52 so as to couple the escutcheon 4) and the handleV 56 to the window regulator mechanism as, shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, by moving the handle 56 from its position of FIGURE 5 toy it-s position as shown in dot-dash lines in FIGURE 2 and thereafter rotating the escutcheon 46, the window can be moved between its-open and closed positions.

If it is desired to unconple the gear 52 from the driven gear 76, a suitable key is inserted into the key cylinder assembly 104, as lshown in FIGURE 2, and thereafter the cylinder is rotated approximately 90 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FGURE 4, to swing the yoke member 90 clockwise about the pivots 92, as viewed in FIGURE 2, and shift the driven gear 76 to the right and out of meshing engagement with the drive gear 52.

Thus, this invention provides a new and improved operating means for a vehicle window regulator mechanism.

I claim:

l. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement betweenopen and `closed positions and a window regulator mechanism Vfor so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, in combination, an operating member, drive gear means, means operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, driven gear means, means slidably and nonrotatably coupling said driven gear means to said mechanism, and means for selectively sliding said driven gear means relative to said mechanism into and out of engagement with said drive gear means to couple and uncoupie said operating member and said mechanism.

2. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving saiid window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, in combination, an operating member, drive gear means,` means operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, driven gear means, means slidably and nonrotatably coupling saiddriven gear means to said mechanism, and key cylinder controlled means for selectively sliding said driven gear means relative to said mechanism into and out of engagement with said drive gear means to couple and uncouple said operating means and said mechanism. 3. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, incombination, an operating member, drive gear means, means operatively, connecting said drive gear means to said member to'be driven byV `said member, driven gear means, means slidably and nonrotatably coupling said driven gear means to said mechanism, a member swingably mounted onl said body, means coupling said swingable member 'to said driven gear means for selectively sliding Y said driven gear means relative to-said mechanism and into and out of engagement with said drive gear means upon swinging movement ofsaid swingable member to couple and uncouple said operating means and said mechanism, and key controlled means for swinging said swingable member.

4. ln a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions and a Window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, in combination, an operating member, drive gear means, means operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, driven gear means, means slidably and nonrotatably coupling said driven gear means to said mechanism, lever means swingably mounted on said body, means coupling one leg of said lever means to said driven gear means for selectively sliding said driven gear means relative to said mechanism and into and out of engagement with said drive gear means upon swinging movement of said lever means to couple and uncouple said operating means and said mechanism, and key controlledv means operatively connected to `the other leg of said lever means for swinging said lever means.

5. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open, land closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, in combination, an operating member, drive gear means, Vmeans operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, driven gear means, means slidably yand nonrotatably coupling said driven gear means to said mechanism, lever means swingably mounted on said body, means coupling one leg of said lever means to said driven gear means for selectively sliding said driven gear means relative to said` mechanism and into` and out of engagement with said drive gear means upon swinging movement of said lever means to couple and uncouple said operating means and s-aid mechanism, resilient means biasing said driven gear means into engagement with said drive gear means, and key controlled means operatively connected to the other leg of said lever means for swinging said lever means against the action of said resilient means.

6. In avehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window, operating means for said mechanism comprising, incornbination, an operating member, drive gear means, means operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, an annular driven gear, means slidably and nonrotatably coupling said driven gear to saidV mechanism, lever means swingably mounted on said body and including a spaced pair of legs straddling said driven gear, means coupling said one pair or" legs to said driven gear for selectively sliding said driven gear relative to said mechanism and into and out of engagement with said drive gear means upon swinging movement ot said lever means to couple and uncouple said operating means and said mechanism, resilientV means mounted on said lever means and biasing said driven gear into engagement with said drive gear means, and key controlled means operatively connected to the other leg of said lever means for swinging said lever means against the action of said resilient means.

7. In a vehicle body having a window mounted thereon for movement `between open and closed positions and a window regulator mechanism for so moving said window and including an annular housing portion, operating means for said mechanism comprising, in combination, an operating member, drive gear means, means operatively connecting said drive gear means to said member to be driven by said member, an annular driven gear surrounding said housing portion, meansV slidably and nonrotatably coupling sa'iid driven gear to` said mechanism,V lever means swingably mounted on said body and including spaced pairs of legs, one pair of straddling said driven gear and the other pair being interconnected by web means, means' coupling said one pair of f5 5 lo legs of said lever means to said driven gear for selectively of said lever means for swinging said lever means against sliding said driven gear relative to said housing portion the actionof said resilient means.

and into and out of engagement with said drive gear. means upon swinging movement of said ever means References @md in the me of this patent to couple and uncouple said operating rnern er and said mechanism, resilient means biasing said driven gear into UNITED STATES PATENTS engagement with said drive gear means, and key con- 2,900,183 Leslie etal Aug. 18, 1959 trolled means operatively connected to said web means 3,004,448 Wanlass Oct. 17, 1961 

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY HAVING A WINDOW MOUNTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS AND A WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM FOR SO MOVING SAID WINDOW, OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN OPERATING MEMBER, DRIVE GEAR MEANS, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID DRIVE GEAR MEANS TO SAID MEMBER TO BE DRIVEN BY SAID MEMBER, DRIVEN GEAR MEANS, MEANS SLIDABLY AND NONROTATABLY COUPLING SAID DRIVEN GEAR MEANS TO SAID MECHANISM, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY SLIDING SAID DRIVEN GEAR MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID MECHANISM INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRIVE GEAR MEANS TO COUPLE AND UNCOUPLE SAID OPERATING MEMBER AND SAID MECHANISM. 